UP Polls: Agra set for mega Mayawati rally

Agra: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati is set to hold a mega rally in Agra on Tuesday, one of the biggest during the seven-phased assembly elections. People from distant places have already started inching towards the Kothi Meena Bazar ground in the Shah Ganj area in a dazzling display of power and influence in the Dalit capital of northern India.

"More than what she says, it will be the turnout that will be demonstrative of her hold on the voters of the party," said activist Naresh Paras about Mayawati, who is also the chief of the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party that champions the cause of Dalits.

Preparations have been going on for the past three days with stage and sound engineers from Lucknow specially summoned to execute the event in style.

Agra's traffic schedule has been changed for the day with heavy vehicles being diverted from the city's life line, the Mahatma Gandhi Road. A helipad close to the stage is ready and the whole ground gives the impression of a blue ocean with banners, flags and cut-outs.

Agra goes to polls Feb 28 in the penultimate round of the polls. All parties are now totally concentrating on western Uttar Pradesh, which could decide who will rule the state.

The Congress held road shows with actors Raveena Tandon and Sanjay Dutt Monday evening. Samajwadi Party's Akhilesh Yadav, Mulayam Singh Yadav and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Ajit Singh are scheduled to address a series of meetings in the next few days, intensifying campaigning.

The rallies of the BJP and the joint rally of the Congress and RLD in the past week have been rather unimpressive in terms of crowd mobilisation.